ORBCOMM Inc., a satellite data communications company focused on two-way Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications, last week announced that the target launch date for its second satellite is January 10, 2012. LuxSpace Sarl, an affiliate of OHB System AG, confirmed that construction and testing of the VesselSat2 AIS satellite has been successfully completed.

The spacecraft has been shipped to the China Great Wall Industry Corporation’s Tiayuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) in the Ganso Province of the People’s Republic of China for its launch.

ORBCOMM [2](Fort Lee, N.J., USA) is the exclusive licensee for the AIS data collected by VesselSat2 as well as VesselSat1, which was launched into an equatorial orbit on October 12, 2011, and is now providing full commercial service.

VesselSat2 will be launched into a polar orbit, providing complete coverage of the Earth, including the North and South Poles. VesselSat1 and VesselSat2 will also supplement ORBCOMM’s next generation (OG2) constellation of 18 AIS-enabled satellites that currently are under construction.

Last week, ORBCOMM announced the acquisition[2] of PAR Technology Corp’s subsidiary, PAR Logistics Management Systems (PAR LMS) for $6 million. PAR LMS is a provider of transport assets and cargo monitoring technology in the transportation and distribution industries.